Jayapura, Jubi – Imagine being in captivity for more 48 years when you were granted freedom by the World’s powerful Assembly.

Think about witnessing all kinds of atrocities being committed against the would-be independent state. Well you can hardly believe, but that is the situation the people of West Papua who have lived in close to 50 years after a vote that disfranchisedthe majority of West Papuans-just to be conducted by just 1,026 on behalf of the entire population of 800,000 at the time.

The voting on its own was the right thing to do being a culmination of United Nations Resolution 1514 adopted in 1960 amid the pressure of global anti-imperial movements and colonial territories

The results of a vote that was viewed to be far from free or fair, gave Indonesia powers to rule over the people whom they forced to vote in colonizer’s favour.

During his visit to Uganda, Jacob Rumbiak, the Foreign Affairs representative for the Federal Republic of West Papua, narrated a disturbing tale of native West Papuans live with at the hands of Indonesian government that has gripped onto the people.

Flanked by Neddy Byrne, Rumbiak also visited Jacob Oulanyah, the deputy Speaker of Ugandan Parliament. He told the Deputy speaker about the many years of human rights abuses that stretch to killings of whoever dares to resist Indonesia’s rule.

“There is no doubt, there is genocide in West Papua similar to that genocide of Rwanda,”said Rumbiak “a minimum of 500,000 people have been killed so far. So, the atrocities that have been committed against West Papuans need to stop and it’s unfortunate, the situations are even getting worse now.”

“The West Papuan population is reducing. It was 800,000 at a point, but due to genocide, it keeps on diminishing day by day. So, the numbers of deaths speak volumes.” He added.

He said that West Papua, has got huge depositories of natural resources ranging from Oil, copper-to gold, an issues he said that is the precursor for the un-ending Indonesian’s gun rule, ignored by Western Countries-especially the US which they accused of turning a blind eye just because of some vested interests.

“We have copper, Gold mines, Oil and we are victims of a cold war just because the super power countries have got interest in our natural resources,” said Rumbiak.

According to Rumbiak’s account, Indonesians own and run most of the businesses in all major cities and thus controlling most of the money in the West Papua, leaving the indigenous people to just involve in petty jobs in their own country.

“We can’t seat back and watch people being killed one after the other. There is a time limit which is not about 2-3 years, the Papuans should be free,” vowed Rumbiak, but optimistic that one day, “West Papua will get its independence.”

Uganda supports West Papuans

On listening to the West Papuans ordeal, Jacob Oulanyah said that the Ugandan Parliament is ready to support the West Papuan cause through use of its connections with international Parliaments.

“We will do whatever our parliament and the nation can to ensure that by end of June this year, that the resolutions is heard and discussed in the UN,” said Oulanyah.

He further said that Ugandan Parliament could also identify MPs to propose the motion, support and debate it in the house. We can send the resolutions to other East African Parliaments including the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa countries.”

Oulanyah, however, advised the delegation to use organized youths back home so that the World bodies can get cause for supporting the cause by the natives.

Prodded on why Uganda other than other Countries, Rumbiak said that “African continent, Uganda in particular, speaks and make things move and I feel Uganda is a country whose spirit in rescuing others is alive thus our plea to have Uganda involved in this fight through supporting our petition in international forums such as African Union and UN.”

According to Rumbiak, the West Papuan population which is united internally is renewing its fight for freedom for self-determination.

The Federal Republic of West Papua “(NFRPB) is set to make its case for West Papua’s independence before ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly 33rd Session scheduled to take place at St. Julian’s, Malta between 19-21 June 2017.

JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com - There have been many cases of human rights violations committed in Tanah Papua since the annexation process in 1963. The presence of investors has also added to the long list of human rights violations. Indigenous peoples who own natural resources are always in the ranks of investment victims.

John NR Gobai, the board of Indigenous Council of Papua, said that indigenous peoples have been feeling the sacrifice of investors present in the Land of Papua not only because of the actions of security actors, but also the absence of a positive impact as the operation of a corporation, whether forestry corporations, Plantation and mining and others.

“The presence of businesses in Papua spans human rights violations against indigenous peoples whose customary territories are managed by natural resources by corporations," he said in a written bribery received by suarapapua.com on Monday (19/06/2017).

Cases of human rights violations resulting from the exploitation of Natural Resources (SDA) in Papua by corporations are difficult to avoid. The latest fact, bebernya, community Wate Tribe in Kampung Nifasi, Makimi District, Nabire District, Papua, is experiencing this.

Read also: Komnas HAM RI Asked to Urge TNI Commander to Take Strict Action on TNI in Mosairo River Location

Two companies that enter to manage the Mosairo River, namely PT. Kristalin Eka Lestari (PT KEL) and PT. Pacific Mining Jaya (PT PMJ) is said to have no consent from Wate's indigenous people. Ironically, the company uses TNI elements from Battalion 753 / AVT Nabire and High Officers from the TNI Headquarters Headquarters (Mabes) covering its illegal activities on the banks of the Mosairo river. They even set up TNI posts in Nifasi to secure the activities of PT. KEL.

Robertino Hanebora from Solidaritas Untuk Nifasi (SUN) stated that it is very potential to strike the indigenous people who reject the presence of PT. KEL. Even several times the problem and have been voiced to various related parties, only until now has not been taken seriously.

Allegations that the presence of investment or business in Papua have an impact on human rights violations, due to the process of obtaining permits either from the owners of ulayat rights until the government is not procedural, also without the permission or collective consent of the community ulayat rights owners. The acquisition of unprocessed licenses resulted in unhealthy investments and led to conflicts of confiscation, land tenure and the creation of inter-community conflicts resulting from pro-contra.

Worse yet illegal business is commonly involves unscrupulous security forces to smother and smooth the intention of mastering and depleting the natural potential that is pursued by the businessmen. Another illegal impact is detrimental to the state in the state tax obligations.

The land of Papua is famous for the potential of natural resources that is very promising both land and sea, so far business space is growing rapidly, but not infrequently tails the violation of human rights is very high. Surprisingly, local governments, especially the province of Papua, the region and also the guards Kamtibmas (Polri) in Papua are not active in seeing, resolving and managing the problems that occur due to business presence in various sectors.

SUN noted that the government in Papua is openly indicated to clothe businesses that do not respect the rights of the community which are regulated in various regulations in protecting the rights of indigenous peoples in Indonesia, especially in Papua after the birth of Law Number 21 Year 2001, concerning Otsus for Papua Province and Other regulations for the protection of OAP (Orang Asli Papua).

The facts at the Mosairo River proved this, because according to him, the Wate Tribe community, Kampung Nifasi, Makimi District, Nabire, suffered neglect, indigenous land grabs, intimidation and violation of indigenous rights by mining businesses. The granting of IUP (Mining Business Licenses) over their ulayat by the Provincial Government of Papua took place without the collective knowledge of the Nifasi community, as well as the basis of customary release as an absolute requirement in legitimizing the licensing of the mines business of those companies is completely unknown to the Nifasi community.

"The situation has made many conflicts happen there. Various parties should pay serious attention to resolving the conflict in the Mosairo River, "he hopes to continue the voice of Wate society.

With the launch of Indonesia's National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights in Jakarta recently, Solidarity for Nifasi felt this was a positive opportunity and a positive breakthrough by the state mainly referring to the second part of the company's responsibility to respect human rights, which means not violating human rights Internationally recognized human by avoiding, reducing, or preventing negative effects of corporate operations.

The launch was held Komnas HAM RI and ELSHAM held at Sari Pan Pacific Hotel Jakarta, Friday (16/06/2017). It refers to the mandate of the United Nations Human Rights Council which adopted the "United Nations Framework on Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights: Protection, Respect and Recovery", also known as the Ruggie Principles, in June 2011. The Principles consist of Three pillars known for protection, respect and recovery. First, the state's obligation to protect human rights, in which the government must protect individuals from human rights violations by third parties, including businesses.

Second, the company's responsibility to respect human rights, which means it does not violate internationally recognized human rights by avoiding, reducing, or preventing negative impacts of corporate operations. Thirdly, the need to expand access for victims has had an effective remedy, both through both judicial and non-judicial mechanisms.